Laura Maydón: Endeavor director targets high-impact entrepreneurs

Laura Maydón never believed “being in the right place at the right time” had any validity until it happened to her. She was living in Miami where she wanted to stay and, with two daughters to care for, didn’t want to pursue a corporate career for which she’d be traveling every week.

Ms. Maydón had heard about Endeavor through her various jobs over the years. She thought very highly of the global non-profit company that fosters high-impact entrepreneurs by putting them in touch with mentors who can help them think bigger, refine their business plans, gain access to capital and multiply their influence.

So it was serendipity when she met co-founder Peter Kellner at a panel on impact investment and learned Endeavor was looking for a managing director of its new Miami affiliate, the first US office.

In the two years since opening the door, Ms. Maydón and her staff have helped boost the city’s emerging community of entrepreneurs. So far, nine companies have been selected Endeavor Entrepreneurs, and Ms. Maydón hopes to see more by the end of the year.

Endeavor Miami is still in its teen years, she said, so there’s a lot of work to do with the ingredients she believes are already in South Florida but need to come closer together.